Meagan Fitzpatrick Bio

Actor, director and social activist Sarah Polley is throwing her support behind Peggy Nash in the NDP's leadership contest.

Polley put out a statement Wednesday announcing her endorsement. She said she believes that of the eight candidates in the race (originally nine until Robert Chisholm dropped out last month), Nash is the one with the greatest ability to reach out to people who may not have supported the NDP in the past.

"Peggy is an intensely principled leader with proven respect for grassroots social movements," Polley said."I believe Peggy has the experience and toughness needed to defeat Stephen Harper in the next federal election and become our next Prime Minister," she went on to say.

Brigette DePape made headlines back in June when she staged a silent protest in the Senate, where she was employed as a page, during the throne speech. As Gov. Gen. David Johnston was reading the speech, DePape stepped into the centre of the Senate floor and held up a sign that read "Stop Harper."

The young woman was escorted out and promptly fired.

As a video posted on rabble.ca shows, DePape hasn't stopped her protesting ways.

Yes, you do have to have integrity to be the integrity commissioner, according to the job description recently posted by the federal government.

Ottawa is on the hunt for a new Public Sector Integrity Commissioner to replace Christiane Ouimet, who left the job abruptly in October 2010. Personal and professional integrity are among the criteria listed in the personal suitability section of the job requirements and so are discretion, sound judgment and superior interpersonal skills.

Keep reading to find out what else makes an ideal candidate for the position.

 Polish up that resume, applications are now being accepted for the top job at the RCMP. The country's national police service is on the hunt to replace Commissioner William Elliott, the first civilian to lead the RCMP, who is stepping down in September.

CBC's Alison Crawford reported last month that Public Safety Minister Vic Toews sent a list of proposed criteria for selecting the next commissioner to the MPs who sit on the House of Commons public safety committee.

 

Now, the job has officially been posted on the RCMP's website and nowhere does it stipulate the next leader must be a Mountie, or bilingual. It says the person should be knowledgeable of the RCMP's mandate and challenges, an understanding of criminal law and the legal context of police work would be an "asset" and that he ideal candidate should be proficient in both official languages.

 

Keep reading to see if you've got what it takes to apply for RCMP Commissioner.

NDP Leader Jack Layton and his fellow New Democrats wrapped up their convention Sunday in Vancouver. Over the weekend delegates heard from a number of speakers including Nova Scotia Premier Darrel Dexter. According to a press release from the NDP, he provided some advice about how to get from opposition to government, saying that it takes patience, pragmatism and modernized policies.

Layton was the last of the speakers at the convention, delivering a speech Sunday. Continue reading to see what he told them.

Retired MP and cabinet minister Stockwell Day can add another accolade to his resume. He was named a senior fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada on Tuesday.

 

The much-anticipated report from Auditor General Sheila Fraser on spending for the G8 and G20 summits will be tabled in the House of Commons on June 9, two days later than originally scheduled.

The auditor general's office confirmed Friday that the date had been moved. The original June 7 date had been based on an assumption that Parliament would begin sitting May 30. Parliament will return, however, on June 2 and the throne speech will be delivered the following day.

Hit the jump to read more about all the fun to be had on June 9.

Twenty years in politics came to an end for Tony Martin on May 2 when he was defeated in the northern Ontario riding of Sault Ste. Marie.

He had been an MP for the NDP since 2004 and before that was a member of the provincial government, serving under Bob Rae when he was NDP premier in Ontario.

Martin is passionate about poverty -- eradicating it, that is -- and it's been a focus of his time in public office. In Ottawa, he dedicated a lot of his time to that work on committees and on a private member's bill that would create a national strategy to eliminate poverty and an Office of the Poverty Elimination Commissioner.

In an exit interview with CBC News on Friday, Martin said he'll continue his work on ridding Canada of poverty now that his time in Ottawa is done. He doesn't rule out coming back, but for now, he says he's moving on to another stage of life.

After the jump .... read Martin's advice to new MPs, how he feels about leaving Parliament behind and how talks between the NDP, Liberals and Bloc Quebecois to form a coalition in late 2008 were a low point in his political career.

Click for more Exit Interviews

With his defeat in the riding of Pickering-Scarborough East, the May 2 election put an end to a long run on Parliament Hill for Liberal Dan McTeague who was first elected in 1993.

During his time in Ottawa, McTeague developed a reputation as an advocate for consumers and Canadians abroad. He began to specialize in that latter role in 2003 when he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs. He filled that role until the Liberals lost power in 2006. More recently, McTeague has devoted time to a website that keeps Canadians informed about gas prices, something he plans to spend more time on now.

McTeague is among 43 Liberals who lost their seats in the election. He spoke to CBC News while on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, right after finishing his last caucus meeting with his former colleagues. He recalled some highlights and low points in his political career and talked about what lies ahead now that his time as an MP has drawn to a close.

Read the full exit interview, after the jump.